Major Lance's Coat

[Jez Jones]

now then this surfaced in conversation last night how we got to it don't ask!!!!!!!!!!!! Can anyone remember this . When Major did his live gig at the Torch he left his coat in the cloakroom. Anyway years later dave evison was doing his weekly soul show on radio Stoke and on this paticular show he ran a quiz(think it was for charity but can't remember) and one of the prizes was major lance's coat. Chris burton had it and donated it as one of the prizes. I can remember at the time it caused quite a laugh in our circles mainly because it was pretty random prize (but what a good 'un!!) At the time there was a pop quiz at our local and we entered calling ourselves ---yes you got it---major lance's coat!! just 'cos no fooker would realise what the fook it was!!!

Back on track last night we wondered who won the coat. Does anyone know. have they still got it and more interestingly did they go out in it ,proudly sporting Majors coat

Now that is what i call Northern soul memorabillia

[Pauldonnelly]

now then this surfaced in conversation last night how we got to it don't ask!!!!!!!!!!!! Can anyone remember this . When Major did his live gig at the Torch he left his coat in the cloakroom. Anyway years later dave evison was doing his weekly soul show on radio Stoke and on this paticular show he ran a quiz(think it was for charity but can't remember) and one of the prizes was major lance's coat. Chris burton had it and donated it as one of the prizes. I can remember at the time it caused quite a laugh in our circles mainly because it was pretty random prize (but what a good 'un!!) At the time there was a pop quiz at our local and we entered calling ourselves ---yes you got it---major lance's coat!! just 'cos no fooker would realise what the fook it was!!!

Back on track last night we wondered who won the coat. Does anyone know. have they still got it and more interestingly did they go out in it ,proudly sporting Majors coat

Now that is what i call Northern soul memorabillia

UmUmUmUmUmUm...

I'll get my coat.

[Guest gordon russell]

now that is random lol

[Guest gordon russell]

here's another random one in the 70's l saw three differant JJ Barnes lol

[Jez Jones]

here's another random one in the 70's l saw three differant JJ Barnes lol

Yeah thats pretty good on the random stakes Check this though ,mate of mine told me that way back ,he got a lift to an all nighter down south (dunno which one early 80's) and the lad that took him had a 3 wheeler reliant robin. Now ....wait for it...... The driver tried to hit every cats eye from cheshire (with his front wheel) all the way down cos he said it helped him drive safely in the night

[Guest]

Yeah thats pretty good on the random stakes Check this though ,mate of mine told me that way back ,he got a lift to an all nighter down south (dunno which one early 80's) and the lad that took him had a 3 wheeler reliant robin. Now ....wait for it...... The driver tried to hit every cats eye from cheshire (with his front wheel) all the way down cos he said it helped him drive safely in the night

As if it was not enough pain , having to ride in the bloody thing before attempting to " count " the cats' eyes ........

Apart from a Bond Bug , a Reliant Robin must be the world's most uncomfortable ride ........

Malc Burton

[Jez Jones]

As if it was not enough pain , having to ride in the bloody thing before attempting to " count " the cats' eyes ........

Apart from a Bond Bug , a Reliant Robin must be the world's most uncomfortable ride ........

Malc Burton

Ah yes the Bond Bug. Very futuristic in shape but not in performance. However rumours at the time suggested 80 mph could be reached .

I for one wouldn't dare travel at 80 in one of those 'beasts' . correct me if i'm wrong but didn't they come in just one colour a tangerine/orange ensemble!

[Barry]

UmUmUmUmUmUm...

I'll get my coat.

Genius!!

As an add on, our wasted roomfull are still laughing at the original post - class!

[Guest]

Ah yes the Bond Bug. Very futuristic in shape but not in performance. However rumours at the time suggested 80 mph could be reached .

I for one wouldn't dare travel at 80 in one of those 'beasts' . correct me if i'm wrong but didn't they come in just one colour a tangerine/orange ensemble!

Correct Jez - tangerine , shaped like a wedge of cheese ........

An old mate of mine has still got the one he bought when it came out .......

When he bought it , he turned up to take me for a drive : I went , but spent most of the journey hanging on for dear life , especially when it went round corners ........

Malc Burton

Edited July 27, 2008 by Malc Burton

[Jez Jones]

Genius!!

As an add on, our wasted roomfull are still laughing at the original post - class!

I know mate am still chortling meself! Don't know which part of it is most bizarre---the fact that Major left his coat or that chris burton actually recognised it was Majors coat left in the cloakroom(had it got his name in side it --like a school blazer ) you know sorta 'this coat belongs to M. Lance'

anyway its a true story and someone out there is the proud owner of it

[Chris L]

Ah yes the Bond Bug. Very futuristic in shape but not in performance. However rumours at the time suggested 80 mph could be reached .

I for one wouldn't dare travel at 80 in one of those 'beasts' . correct me if i'm wrong but didn't they come in just one colour a tangerine/orange ensemble!

The one round our way was green, brilliant, the bloke could turn 180° with his back wheels stationary

Didn't they drive by some sort of tiller handle ??

[Koolkat]

Yeah thats pretty good on the random stakes Check this though ,mate of mine told me that way back ,he got a lift to an all nighter down south (dunno which one early 80's) and the lad that took him had a 3 wheeler reliant robin. Now ....wait for it...... The driver tried to hit every cats eye from cheshire (with his front wheel) all the way down cos he said it helped him drive safely in the night

It may have said on his licence, "tear down the dotted line" Chortle chortle

[Rbman]

Talking of the Major's clothing...during his performance at the California Ballroom in Dunstable (late 70s) he strippped off his dinner shirt during his encore and tossed it to the crowd....it got ripped into many pices one of which I got him to sign backstage.

A few years back my mum called me to say that she had taken somestuff to a carboot sale which included a money box of mine but before she sold it she removed the contents....a Winston Churchill Crown, a few wigan badges, my wigan membership card and yes a bit of white cloth with some pen mark on it..... she saved me the crown and the badges but chucked the other bits away!!!!!

[Ezzie Brown]

went to se my heroe hoagy lands at 100 club.had a brill chat with him in the office,got his autograph on a flyer,popped in my shirt top pocket for safe keeping, got home around 5,work at 7, shirt off and into washing machine...........when i got home it was spinning madly...............yes you guessed it.......i blamed the mrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Margo]

now then this surfaced in conversation last night how we got to it don't ask!!!!!!!!!!!! Can anyone remember this . When Major did his live gig at the Torch he left his coat in the cloakroom. Anyway years later dave evison was doing his weekly soul show on radio Stoke and on this paticular show he ran a quiz(think it was for charity but can't remember) and one of the prizes was major lance's coat. Chris burton had it and donated it as one of the prizes. I can remember at the time it caused quite a laugh in our circles mainly because it was pretty random prize (but what a good 'un!!) At the time there was a pop quiz at our local and we entered calling ourselves ---yes you got it---major lance's coat!! just 'cos no fooker would realise what the fook it was!!!

Back on track last night we wondered who won the coat. Does anyone know. have they still got it and more interestingly did they go out in it ,proudly sporting Majors coat

Now that is what i call Northern soul memorabillia

didn't they use it to make a curry oh sorry i thought you said goat

[Chris L]

When Major did his live gig at the Torch he left his coat in the cloakroom. Anyway years later dave evison was doing his weekly soul show on radio Stoke and on this paticular show he ran a quiz(think it was for charity but can't remember) and one of the prizes was major lance's coat. Chris burton had it and donated it as one of the prizes.

we wondered who won the coat. Does anyone know. have they still got it and more interestingly did they go out in it ,proudly sporting Majors coat

Now that is what i call Northern soul memorabillia

Wonderful !! You can't make this stuff up

[Jez Jones]

Wonderful !! You can't make this stuff up

Yeah I know, brilliant innit. I saw Dave in Stoke on saturday night and tried to pick his brains over this. He remembered it--but couldn't tell me who won it

It must have been about 20 years ago when it was won, someone somewhere has got a one off peice of northern soul memorabilia

Oh Dave did say something was found in an inside pocket of the coat

[Guest tomtomsouly2612]

went to se my heroe hoagy lands at 100 club.had a brill chat with him in the office,got his autograph on a flyer,popped in my shirt top pocket for safe keeping, got home around 5,work at 7, shirt off and into washing machine...........when i got home it was spinning madly...............yes you guessed it.......i blamed the mrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i also went upstairs to meet major lance when he appeared live at the torch got my membership card signed by him to tommy always a freind major lance still got it to this day tommy from barnsley

[Guest tomtomsouly2612]

went to se my heroe hoagy lands at 100 club.had a brill chat with him in the office,got his autograph on a flyer,popped in my shirt top pocket for safe keeping, got home around 5,work at 7, shirt off and into washing machine...........when i got home it was spinning madly...............yes you guessed it.......i blamed the mrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i also went upstairs to meet major lance when he appeared live at the torch got my membership card signed by him to tommy always a friend major lance still got it to this day tommy from barnsley

[Iancsloft]

UmUmUmUmUmUm...

I'll get my coat.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi regarding Majors coat which Dave gave away on his show..

I won that Leather Jacket it was in Daves name that tune compitition

the lyrics Dave spoke out where to James Bounty --Prove yourself a lady

I had the jacket for several years then when the tragic events at the

Liverpool match at Hillsborough happened i raffled it at the Leigh Miners Soul Nite

and sent the money to the fund that had been set up it was won at first by my

brother Stephen who then allowed it to be re-faffled and was won by Mick Davey

from Leigh.....

Kind Regards Ian Cunliffe

[Iancsloft]

Major also gave me his silk scarf when he appeared at the VA VA Club in Bolton

I gave it to Dave Skeen around 7 yrs ago

x IAN C

[Suinoz]

Yeah thats pretty good on the random stakes Check this though ,mate of mine told me that way back ,he got a lift to an all nighter down south (dunno which one early 80's) and the lad that took him had a 3 wheeler reliant robin. Now ....wait for it...... The driver tried to hit every cats eye from cheshire (with his front wheel) all the way down cos he said it helped him drive safely in the night

Great stuff. I remember pushbiking 10 miles back home along the A1 at 1 and 2 in the morning, in the middle to use the cats eyes as a guide, every night after seeing the bird and getting paraletic on her ole mans vodka. Was bloody scary i can tell ya when them big trucks thundered by on every side. Bet the drivers wondered what a mad tw-t i was. Oh well, good times. Did'nt see her at weekends cos i was soulin' it at allnighters. Low and behold she eventually dumped me and then i got a car lol. Tony T BONE. OZ. K.T.F.

[Guest]

Great stuff. I remember pushbiking 10 miles back home along the A1 at 1 and 2 in the morning, in the middle to use the cats eyes as a guide, every night after seeing the bird and getting paraletic on her ole mans vodka. Was bloody scary i can tell ya when them big trucks thundered by on every side. Bet the drivers wondered what a mad tw-t i was. Oh well, good times. Did'nt see her at weekends cos i was soulin' it at allnighters. Low and behold she eventually dumped me and then i got a car lol. Tony T BONE. OZ. K.T.F.

Did she dump you because you never cossbarred her Tony ?

Malc Burton

THE TORCH REUNION OCTOBER 24th 2009

https://dkof.freewebpages.org/Torch%20reunion/home.html

WOULD THOSE WHO HAVE RESERVED TICKETS BUT STILL TO PAY AS YET , PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL INBOX

burtonmalc@yahoo.co.uk or PaulDonnellyBP@aol.com

ALL PROFITS will go to The Douglas Macmillan Hospice and The Stroke Association

[Guest melandthensome]

My self and pete lawson

met Steve Mancha at parr hall all-nighter and had no paper for his autograph so pete gets a five pound note and Steve signs it.

Of course pete ended up buying a drink with the fiver without realising later on at the bar.........

price-less........lol.

mel

[Pauldonnelly]

My self and pete lawson

met Steve Mancha at parr hall all-nighter and had no paper for his autograph so pete gets a five pound note and Steve signs it.

Of course pete ended up buying a drink with the fiver without realising later on at the bar.........

price-less........lol.

mel

[Suinoz]

Did she dump you because you never cossbarred her Tony ?

Malc Burton

THE TORCH REUNION OCTOBER 24th 2009

https://dkof.freewebpages.org/Torch%20reunion/home.html

WOULD THOSE WHO HAVE RESERVED TICKETS BUT STILL TO PAY AS YET , PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL INBOX

burtonmalc@yahoo.co.uk or PaulDonnellyBP@aol.com

ALL PROFITS will go to The Douglas Macmillan Hospice and The Stroke Association

Yep Malc, she was Polish and they have to be virgins when they get married, well they did in them day's anyway. Never got on me crossbar although i did get a bit of hanky panky in the back of my ole mans car on the way back form a 25 mile race at Colchester one Saturday afternoon in 1974. Alway's preferred riding bikes in them day's, the two wheeled variety i mean......... Nevertheless she did eventually marry a mate of mine who was Italian. He would have killed her had she not been a virgin. Odd mix don't you think?? Was her nickname Polishtitian do you reckon. Happy day's. See you soon.

T BONE Tone OZ. K.T.F.

[Guest Dave Mortimore]

now then this surfaced in conversation last night how we got to it don't ask!!!!!!!!!!!! Can anyone remember this . When Major did his live gig at the Torch he left his coat in the cloakroom. Anyway years later dave evison was doing his weekly soul show on radio Stoke and on this paticular show he ran a quiz(think it was for charity but can't remember) and one of the prizes was major lance's coat. Chris burton had it and donated it as one of the prizes. I can remember at the time it caused quite a laugh in our circles mainly because it was pretty random prize (but what a good 'un!!) At the time there was a pop quiz at our local and we entered calling ourselves ---yes you got it---major lance's coat!! just 'cos no fooker would realise what the fook it was!!!

Back on track last night we wondered who won the coat. Does anyone know. have they still got it and more interestingly did they go out in it ,proudly sporting Majors coat

Now that is what i call Northern soul memorabillia

.

. On the subject of memorabillia, I remember a conversation I had in 1973. It was at work, across a drawing board with a guy called Mick Swain from Newcastle-Under-Lyme. Now I think alot of folk would remember turning right into Hose Street to get a first glimpse of the bright Golden Torch sign embodied in a thick plastic circularly lit frame, which protruded out at right-angles from the wall of the club. Now Mick was telling me that shortly after the club had been closed, two of his mates from his neck of the woods had gone up there one evening and taken the iconic sign down. Apparently, it ended up in the bedroom of one of these guys who lived on Crackley Bank council estate in Chesterton.

. Now, it begs the question as to where is this sign now? These lads were part of the 'Castle Family,' so word must have got round in those circles as to who had commandeered it. Since you're having a Torch Reunion this October, maybe it should be tracked down and resurected for posterity.

The design of the sign was surely the influence behind the idea to create the first circular badges that became popular. I'm sure alot of people would love to know if it still existed.

Edited June 30, 2009 by Dave Mortimore

[Guest]

. On the subject of memorabillia, I remember a conversation I had in 1973. It was at work, across a drawing board with a guy called Mick Swain from Newcastle-Under-Lyme. Now I think alot of folk would remember turning right into Hose Street to get a first glimpse of the bright Golden Torch sign embodied in a thick plastic circularly lit frame, which protruded out at right-angles from the wall of the club. Now Mick was telling me that shortly after the club had been closed, two of his mates from his neck of the woods had gone up there one evening and taken the iconic sign down. Apparently, it ended up in the bedroom of one of these guys who lived on Crackley Bank council estate in Chesterton.

. Now, it begs the question as to where is this sign now? These lads were part of the 'Castle Family,' so word must have got round in those circles as to who had commandeered it. Since you're having a Torch Reunion this October, maybe it should be tracked down and resurected for posterity.

The design of the sign was surely the influence behind the idea to create the first circular badges that became popular. I'm sure alot of people would love to know if it still existed.

Edited July 1, 2009 by Malc Burton

[Guest]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lot of The Torch facade and interior was " liberated " following its' closure in March 1973 .

When it became The Potteries Camping Centre , there were no identifiable , or marked references to it once having been The Torch .

The sign , and the other notable and " collectable " items , will have gone into unknown storage locations , and are unlikely to be found or brought forward after 36 years .

To have that sign as a backdrop on the stage at The Torch Reunion , would be brilliant : but I doubt it will turn up .......

Malc Burton

Edited July 1, 2009 by Malc Burton

[Jez Jones]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lot of The Torch facade and interior was " liberated " following its' closure in March 1973 .

When it became The Potteries Camping Centre , there were no identifiable , or marked references to it once having been The Torch .

The sign , and the other notable and " collectable " items , will have gone into unknown storage locations , and are unlikely to be found or brought forward after 36 years .

To have that sign as a backdrop on the stage at The Torch Reunion , would be brilliant : but I doubt it will turn up .......

Malc Burton

The front and interior of The Potteries Camping Centre , after the fire that gutted it , ending what memories the place held as The Torch ......

Malc Burton

[Pauldonnelly]

The front and interior of The Potteries Camping Centre , after the fire that gutted it , ending what memories the place held as The Torch ......

Malc Burton

Never say never Mr B. Got me deerstalker and magnifyng glass at the ready

[Jez Jones]

Never say never Mr B. Got me deerstalker and magnifyng glass at the ready

Mission impossible is yours Jez, however if you fail you can always fall back on magnifying projector?????..

Did you go to that Nudist beach I told you about?

[Guest]

Never say never Mr B. Got me deerstalker and magnifyng glass at the ready

Mission impossible is yours Jez, however if you fail you can always fall back on magnifying projector?????..

Did you go to that Nudist beach I told you about?